The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1887-10-28
A MODERN GOLIATH
Sketch of the TaIlest Man in the
United States.
A Man Six Feet High Passes
Easily Under His Arm.

"The proper study for mankind is
man" If that line still holds true, says
a correspondent of the New York Times,
the subject Of this letter ought certainly
to be entitled to a high degree of popu-
lar examination He is eight feet two
inches in height and weighs $50 pounds.
Ills hand is Is inches and his foot II
inches long. Henry Alexander Cooper
was born in 1860 between York and
Scarborough, England. In 1882 he
was imported to the United States by
Adam Forepaugh; was exhibited by
him for the three successive years; was
then seduced by p. T. Barnum to be-
come the greatest and the highest Of his
family of giants, and continued with
his show two years. The time came
when Colonel Cooper, as in show phrase
ology he Is called, tired of glory, the
publicity, and the profit of the
show business, and, last Spring, at the
date Of the Richmond Hotel fire, he
came to Buffalo, n. Y, and settled
down, where, with his wife, he keeps a
saloon. Since 'Col" Cooper is nc
longer on exhibition, and does not now
"draw" as an adjunct to anybody's
"show," it may not be improper to ex-
anime his merits and history. People
who are disposed to laugh at the idea Of
''modern giant and to regard such
things as a trick of the show business
would do well to see Henry Alexander
Cooper. The very largest and tallest
skeletons on record and IN existence are
those in the Dublin and London medical
schools, neither Of which exceeds feet
l inch in height Mr. Cooper is very
modest not at all wishing to talk about
himself, but when the direct ques ton
was asked him, DO you claim to be the
tallcst man in AmerlcaF he answered
promptly; Most certainly do. I have
travelled for five years with the largest
giants in the largest shows, and easily
oyertopped them all ="
Describing him it is to be said he is
not only tall but awkward, loose jointed,
and ungainly. He does not always
stand erect; he has to stand straight be-
fore an adequate idea is gained of his
full height The impression he pro-
duces on the observer is that he is not
well filled out; he seems, notwithstand-
ing his great weight, rather spare for
his height. His features are bold and
prominent, hair black, complexion be-
tween dark and light, and eyes blue
The writer is bat an inch short of feet,
and easily passed under the giants out
stretched arm.
The "ColoneI' is rather reticent and
modest in his speech II was born on
the English coast, " he said, ''bctween
York and Scarborough. Ny parents
kept an inn, and were neither notable
for their size, nor were either of my six
brothers and sisters Ineycr developed
any extraordinary growth till the age of
16 At that time I took a course of cod
liver oil for a weakness of the system,
and l think that nourishcd and stimula-
ted my growth. l believe [ have at
attained my full height now, but expect
to thicken and fill out. l have never
specially tried to exert my strength, but
1 know 1 am very strong. There is
money in the show business, but it grew
rather distasteful to me, and | was glad
to quit it"